UCL joins forces with Google DeepMind to democratise access to AI education

AI Research Foundations, which launches today (21 October 2025), has been designed to help address regional (in-country) barriers to accessing education and training in advanced AI research techniques. 

While available globally, the free courses have been localised for educators and learners in Africa, where access to advanced AI education has been limited.

The curriculum aims to equip learners with AI research skills that could one day help address major local and global research challenges – such as building climate resilience or tackling local diseases. Created for undergraduates to early career researchers across mathematics, computer science, physics and engineering, the courses combine responsible innovation activities, coding exercises, and an opportunity to fine-tune a language model from the ground up. 

Professor John Mitchell, Co-Director of UCL’s Centre for Engineering Education said: “This project reflects UCL’s commitment to widening access to world-leading research and innovation in AI. By working with Google DeepMind and African academic collaborators, we have co-created a curriculum that not only teaches the foundations of machine learning but also ensures that learners can apply these skills to drive positive social impact in their own communities.” 

Read the full story on UCL News